Fame Star shapes up for Sunday

Fame Star, having his first race under trainer Leslie Khoo, impressed on the training track yesterday morning, clocking 38.4sec for 600m.

Formerly with John O'Hara, Fame Star was one of many horses owned by the Toast Trusts racing stable, which switched barns recently.

Although an eight-time winner, Fame Star has not visited the winners' circle for quite some time.

Indeed, his last win was way back in February, when, with Marc Lerner on the reins, he won a Kranji Stakes A race over 1,200m on grass.

It is a similar sort of situation on Sunday, but he will have to take his "A" game to the racecourse if he is to bring home a Christmas present for owner Constance Cheng and partners.

To his credit, however, Fame Star has been active at the trials.

It was a fortnight ago - on Dec 10 - that he ran a cracker, beating Pennywise by almost a length when winning the 1,000m hit-out in 60.74sec.

Before that, his last start produced a sixth-place finish behind Nepean in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy race.

Fame Star is the sort of horse who can pop up at a price and he should run a good race on Sunday.

Muraahib was one of those beaten by Fame Star in the EW Barker Trophy and they cross swords again in the $100,000 sprint.

The six-year-old had A'Isisuhairi Kasim in the saddle when clocking 37sec.

Owned by the Oscar Racing Stable, Muraahib was flat in the EW Barker Trophy race and plodded home to finish 13th in that 16-horses contest.

There were excuses. His rider was of the opinion that Muraahib did not handle the wet conditions.

I say, forget that run. Muraahib is on an upward trajectory and, if rain stays away, he could be a major player.

A son of Reset, he posted back-to-back wins in September and October. Before that "no-show" in the Barker, he beat Nepean by a handy two lengths in a trial in November.

A winner of three races from 14 starts, he must be treated with utmost respect.

Lim's Craft, bottomweight and first reserve in Sunday's main race, worked with gusto, running 600m in 37.1sec.

Champion apprentice jockey Simon Kok did the steering.

Should he get a place in the line-up, he could do some damage to some egos.

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Yesterday’s Kranji gallops by horses engaged on Sunday

KRANJI STAKES A - 1,400M

Fame Star * .38.4. Muraahib * (K A'Isisuhairi) 37. Magic Wand pace work. Churchill (T Krisna) barrier/34.3. Lim's Samurai (T Rehaizat) barrier/36.3. Biraz (CS Chin) barrier/36.1. Lim's Craft * (WH Kok) 37.1.

KRANJI STAKES C - 1,600M

Circuit Mission * .(A'Isisuhairi) 36.7. Strong N Powerful * .(M Lerner) canter/42.2. Vittoria Perfetta 37.7. On Line * .38.6. Solo Sun * .35.3. Lim's Zoom barrier/35.9. Implement * .38.6. Mighty Emperor (Krisna) 38.2.

CLASS 4 (1) - 1,400M

Easy Does It 39.1. Charger * .37.7. Super Smart * .(S John) 37.7. The Wild Bunch * .(TH Koh) 37.7. Imperium * .(S Shafrizal) pace work/36.1. Basilisk (J See) 35.5. Sun Noble 35.3. Flying Tourbillon * .(CC Wong) 38.9. Murrayfield 39.1. Triple Bowl * .(I Azhar) 42.9. Lai Mak Mak barrier/36.

CLASS 4 (2) - 1,400M

Buuraq * .37.6. Whistle Grand * .35.1. Governor Of Punjab 37.4. My Boss 37.9. Just Landed * .barrier/34.7. Super Speed (Kok) 44.4. Smoke And Mirrors (N Zyrul) 43.4.

CLASS 4 - 1,000M

Toosbies (Krisna) 37.3. Lonhro Gold 39.1. Al Green * .39.2. Kimitonara * .36.6. My Everest 37.7. Delaware * .(A'Isisuhairi) 39.3. Knight Love * .38.1. Lord Of Wind * .38.2. Mardoona * .(Shafrizal) 37.6.

CLASS 5 (1) - 1,700M

Helushka 36.9. Nineteen Gale (M Ewe) barrier/42.8. Sun Conqueror pace work. The Wild Prince * .(Koh) 42.4. Easylights 39. Lion Spirit (JP van der Merwe) 37.4. Where She's Happy (Wong) 37.8. Scooter (A'Isisuhairi) 36.8. Smiling Proud 37.9.

CLASS 5 (2) - 1700M

Plato 38.2. Sayonara * .38.9. Joyful Aspiration (M Zaki) canter/39.5. Ace Harbour (R Maia) 37.2. Brother Mak Mak * .canter/37.3. Vesontio 41.4. Success Street canter/pace work. Najah (Merwe) 37.1. My Miracle (Koh) 43.4.

CLASS 5 - 1,200M

Bear Witness * .(V Duric) 39.5. Per Incrown 37.3. Planter 37.9. Winning Legend * .(John) 37.8. Eastiger * .(Iskandar) 36.7. Global Spirit 39.1. Forever Good * .(Ewe) pace work. Red Roar (I Saifudin) 42.5. Capone 40.2.

Monday: El Primero pace work/35.7.

MAIDEN - 1,200M

Don't Tell Tilly (Azhar) barrier/35.9. City Knight (Saifudin) 38.7. Coming Up (Maia) 38.3. King Pin 38.2. Sun Council 37.9. Tony's Love * .(Duric) 38.1. Lim's Unique * .44.2. My Money pace work.

RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1,200M

Raging Brave * .39.1. Zahau 37.5. Dimesso (John) 41.6. Happy Sunday 36.6. Lim's Betterready (Chin) barrier/35.5. Lucky Jinsha (Merwe) 39.9. Oracle * .(Lerner) 37.2. Show Thunder * .38.8. Starlight * .(L Beuzelin) 37.7. Zermatt * .37.7. Oud Wood (Wong) 42.7.